I don't really thinkthat plastic's lack of performance isas much of a factor as we think it is. It takes a pretty serious blow to break off a sight, even a plastic one, but I did manage to do it once - 25' freefall right to the ground. Plastic scope assembly was no more. LOL Oops.

I'd say it's more of a marketing angle. Really, all abasic hunting bowsight has to do is hold a pin in place, which doesn't take much. People are just more willing to pay that extra $50-75 for a precision-machined chunk of aircraft aluminum, as opposed to a chunk of injection-molded plastic, even if they're equally capable of performing as intended.

So yeah, if I'm paying top dollar, I want machined metal, but if I'm just going for an item that will perform adequately, I'm comfortable sticking a wad of plastic on there and going with it.

Honestly, I've bent and busted more brass, metal, plastic and fiber-opticpins than I've ever ruined sights, so the key feature that I look for is how well are the actual pins protected, since they are the most delicate (and important) part of the entire assembly.

I think the Metal assemblies are more of a necessity for target guys, shooting out to 90 metres, who actually need various micro-adjustments and hundredths of an inch actually matter. As far as hunting purposes go, all that stuff is out the window - you're only shooting out to30 yards, and your target is the size of a beachball.

Theintricate machinework and camo dips on most of the hunting sights out there are just a stab by the manufacturers at sucking an extra few dollars out of each consumer, by convincing them that they "need" something that they don't really "need" at all.

I agree though, if I'm paying $100 for a sight (which I would never do, but if I did) - I'd expect something more - maybe machined metal orthe latest in fashion camo.